I know I said I wasn’t going to post this week because I’d be too busy, but my first day of orientation was a special form of hell that definitely merits a ventpost.

Part of training with my company (that shall remain unnamed) includes, on the very first day of orientation, a medical exam. I never expected that a job position as an English teacher would demand such a humiliating, physically draining medical exam.

For one thing, we were told to fast before the medical exam, so during the morning training session I wracked with hunger. That’s why it was physically draining. It’s no big deal for me to skip breakfast and be a little hungry, but something about the jetlag and the act of being in a completely foreign environment made me SOOOO motherfucking HUNGRYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! I could hardly pay attention to the material we were covering!

Our training session went until 1:30 PM. Which seemed like forever to my famished mind. Then all thirty of us filed in a megabus together and went to medical center. Once we got there, we had to take off all our clothes and change into absurd pink outfits.  Here’s me, looking gross as fuuuuck!

The medical center looked pretty slick on the inside. There were a series of rooms inside with corresponding beige cushy chairs. We all sat down together in those embarrassing outfits waiting for our names to be called. We had to see about six different people. And it took forever. The whole time everyone was starving and awkward, and the vibe of the group was (sorry guys) really not enjoyable. Everybody in the orientation group seems cool, and I’ve found so many people that I have a ridiculous amount in common with. But I’m definitely not a fan of get to know you conversations in the midst of a medical exam. So, if anyone from orientation ends up reading this blog post, please excuse any standoffish behavior on my part!

What was so humiliating about the exam, you ask? Getting weighed in front of everyone. Carrying my pee around in front of everyone. Getting my blood drawn and consequently freaking out in front of everyone. Yeesh.

What’s the bright side of this situation? My instructor and the other trainers for orientation were passionate and knew their stuff. The job still seems fun, and everyone I’ve met who is also going to Cheonan seems cool. And I finally got food today!!!!!! Potato chips!! A triangular rice thingy with mayonnaise and fish in it!!!  A coffee bubble tea!!!!!